Holder for paint cans



March E4, 1967 s. c. BAKER 3,309,053

HOLDER FOR PAINT CANS Filed April 12, 1965 IN VIZN '1 URL ,4 TTORA/EVUnited States Patent OfiFrce 3,3%,@53 Patented Mar. 14, 1967 3,309,053HOLDER FOR PAINT CANS Stephen C. Baker, Detroit, Mich, assignor toSir-Ev, lnc., Birmingham, Mich, a corporation of Michigan Filed Apr. 12,1965, Ser. No. 447,323 Claims. (Cl. 248-210) This invention relates topainting equipment and apparatus in general and more particularly tomeans for supporting a paint can for use on a ladder.

Almost everyone has experienced the difiiculty of using a paint canwhile standing on a ladder. Although most stepladders provide afold-down shelf on the back side of the ladder, even these are not toogood. Usually they are at the wrong height and the open paint can isplaced precariously on the top or one of the other steps of the ladder.

With the longer and extension type rung ladders, the problem is evengreater since there is no place at all to stand or support a paint canwhile it is being used. The best that most people have been able todevise is a hook arrangement for use with the handle on the paint can tosupport it in a free hanging position on the back side of the ladder. Insuch a position it is hard to reach, either around or through theladder, the handle standing over the can is in the way, and the paintcan yields and swings to and fro when the brush is wiped against theside of the can.

It is an object of this invention to provide a means for supporting andholding a paint can disposed for easy and convenient use on a ladder orthe like.

It is an object of this invention to provide a simple structure, easyand relatively inexpensive to manufacture, which will provide a shelf atany given position on a step or rung type ladder, and which shelf isadapted to receive and hold an open paint can for use thereon.

More specifically, it is an object of this invention to provide asheetmetal or like member formed to include a pair of panel walls atright angles to each other and with one formed for engagement with theedge of a step of a stepladder, or the rung of a rung type ladder, in amanner which provides a fixed, horizontal shelf support on which an openpaint can may be set down without fear of being inadvertently knockedoif or otherwise upset.

Other objects and advantages to be gained in the practice of thisinvention, and more specific details of those mentioned, will be betterunderstood and more fully appreciated upon a reading of the followingspecification on a preferred form of the invention and having referenceto the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the paint can or other support meansof this invention, as used on a step ladder.

FlGURE 2 is a top plan view of the support means of the first drawingfigure, as used on a rung ladder.

FIGURE 3 is a cross-sectional view of the support means of thisinvention shown by FIGURE 2, through the mid-section thereof.

FIGURE 4 is a back-side view of the support means of this invention, asseen in the plane of line 4-4 on the previous drawing figure.

The paint can support is shown to include a pair of panel walls 12 and14 which are formed at right angles to each other and are of relativelythe same length and width. The support is made of sheet metal, but maybe made of plastic or other materials if desired.

Each of the panel walls is formed to include a pair of elongated slotswhich extend from near the junction of the two walls towards their outerdisposed ends. The slots are identified 18 and 20 in panel wall 12 andas 22 and 24 in panel wall 14.

The slots are disposed near the side edges of the panel walls and are inparallel spaced relation to each other.

Each of the elongated slots 18, 2t), 22 and 24 is formed to include anenlarged opening 26 at its outer disposed end which receives thefasteners of a retainer means later described.

The panel wall 12 is rounded at its outer disposed end principally forappearance.

Referring to the two panel walls 12 and 14, it will be appreciated thatthey are essentially the same and that either one may serve as a back orbottom Wall for supporting a paint can or the like thereon. For example,in FIGURE 1 the panel wall 12 serves as the back wall and the other wall14 is the support wall. In FIGURE 3 the panel wall 12 is the supportwall and the panel wall 14 is disposed to serve as the back wall.

Suitable retainer means, such as the length of chain 36, with a fastener32 at each end, may be engaged to whichever panel wall is serving as theback wall, to hold a paint can engaged thereto. The fasteners 32 areshown as simple bolts with enlarged heads 34 receptive through theenlarged ends of slots 18, 20, 22 and 24 and adjustable the full lengthof the slots. One of the fasteners may include means for adjusting thelength of the chain between them, although not specifically shown, and acoil spring 36 serves ideally as a tensioning means to hold a paint canof whatever size snug against the back Wall of the paint can supportingdevice.

The panel wall 14 is shown to have the outermost terminal edge thereofbent down, as at 40, and under, as at 42, to provide a reversely bentflange which extends back under the panel wall 14 and in fixed spacedrelation to it. It includes a separation 44 between its side edges whichforms two side edge parts 46 and 48, each of which have a thumb screwmember 50 threaded therethrough. The thumb screws 50, as will beimmediately apparent, enable the support to be engaged to the front edgeof the top or any other step of a stepladder or to the rung of a ladder,as shown in FIGURE 3.

Referring specifically to FIGURE 3:

The support means 10 of this invention is particularly Well suited foruse with a rung type ladder in that the r-eversely bent flange 42 may bedisposed over one rung of a ladder, identified as 52, and the length ofthe wall 14 is less than the distance between a pair of rungs; the nextlower rung being identified as 54. The length of the wall 14 is alsosubstantially equal to the distance between rungs, when the ladder isdisposed at an angle, as for use, so that the wall 12 rests on and issupported by the ladder rung 54.

Since the distance between ladder rungs is generally standardized andthe angle at which a ladder is disposed does not vary appreciably, abasic dimension is obtainable. However, appreciating that there arediflerences, and despite means for holding a paint can on the support sothat it can be maintained at a slight angle, a pair of hooks 60 and 62are used to compensate for slight differences.

The hooks 60 and 62 are engaged to the panel wall 14, near its junctionwith the Wall 12, and hang free. They are of such length as permits themto be engaged to the side rail of the rung ladder, identified 56 inFIGURE 3, and to serve both to hold the paint can support near one sideof the ladder and in a horizontal disposition.

In the latter respect, holding the support wall 14 level, it will beappreciated that if the Wall 14 droops down and the engagement of one ofthe hooks with the ladder side rail 56 does not straighten it out, thatthe whole support member can be shifted away from the side rail to causethe hook to pull it up straighter. The side movement shortens the lengthof the hook, in effect, and causes scope of this invention come to mind.Such of these as are within thelanguage of the hereinafter appendedclaims I are to be considered as inclusive therein and only thosespecifically excluded are to be considered as outside thereof.

I claim:

1. A support for a paint can, and comprising:

a member having a pair of panel walls formed at right angles to eachother and interchangeably adapted to serve as a bottom wall forreceiving and supporting a paint can thereon and aback wall forreceiving the paint can in retained engagement therewith,

said panel walls each including a pair of relatively spaced elongatedsolts which are enlarged near the outer disposed ends of the panelwalls,

one of the panel walls having the outer disposed terminal, edge thereofturned back under said one panel wall and spaced apart therefrom forreceivin g the rung of a ladder therein,

said one panel wall having a length, as disposed to serve as the backpanel wall, of less than the distance between an adjacent pair ofladderrungs and substantially that required to dispose the other of saidpanel walls in supported engagement and horizontally disposed on thelower rung of said ladder rungs when engaged to the upper thereof andwhen the ladder has its rungs angularly disposed for use,

meansdetachably engaged in said panel wall slots at the enlarged endsthereof for holding a paint can to the back wall thereof,

and means engaged to said panel walls near thejunction thereof andlaterally extendable for engagement with the side rail of a ladder forholding the paint can supporting bottom panel wall horizontal and fixedagainst the upsetting movement force of the weight of the paint canthereon.

2. A support means for paint cans and the like in use with rung andstepladders, and comprising;

a member formed to include a pair of panel walls at right angles to eachother and adaptable for interchangeable use as back wall and bottom wallsupports for paint cans and the like received thereon,

one of said panel walls having the terminal end thereof formed back uponitselfto-provide a hook for the hanging support of saidmember on therung of a ladder as vertically disposed for use with a rung ladder andfor retaining engagement with the edge of a step of a stepladder ashorizontally disposed for use therewith,

and means for alternate use'with said panel walls in their service asback wall supports for holding a paint can and the like in engagementtherewith.

3. The support means of claim 2, including free hanging hook meansprovidedion one of said panel walls for engaging the side rail of a rungladder and' permissive of variable positioning of said member laterallyon the rung of a ladder for horizontal orientation of the panel wallserving as saidbottom wall support.

4. The support means as claim 2,

said holding means for alternate'use with said panel walls includingchain means of variable length and including tensioning means betweenthe ends thereof.

5. The support means as claim 2,

said holding means including elongated slots provided near each sideedge in each of said panel Walls and means for spanning the distance.between the slots about an object and for retained engagement of theendsthereof in said slots.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS CLAUDE A. LE ROY,Primary Examiner.

J. F. FOSS, Assistant Examiner.

Cook 248'-210 I

1. A SUPPORT FOR A PAINT CAN, AND COMPRISING: A MEMBER HAVING A PAIR OFPANEL WALLS FORMED AT RIGHT ANGLES TO EACH OTHER AND INTERCHANGEABLYADAPTED TO SERVE AS A BOTTOM WALL FOR RECEIVING AND SUPPORTING A PAINTCAN THEREON AND A BACK WALL FOR RECEIVING THE PAINT CAN IN RETAINEDENGAGEMENT THEREWITH, SAID PANEL WALLS EACH INCLUDING A PAIR OFRELATIVELY SPACED ELONGATED SOLTS WHICH ARE ENLARGED NEAR THE OUTERDISPOSED ENDS OF THE PANEL WALLS, ONE OF THE PANEL WALLS HAVING THEOUTER DISPOSED TERMINAL EDGE THEREOF TURNED BACK UNDER SAID ONE PANELWALL AND SPACED APART THEREFROM FOR RECEIVING THE RUNG OF A LADDERTHEREIN, SAID ONE PANEL WALL HAVING A LENGTH, AS DISPOSED TO SERVE ASTHE BACK PANEL WALL, OF LESS THAN THE DISTANCE BETWEEN AN ADJACENT PAIROF LADDER RUNGS AND SUBSTANTIALLY THAT REQUIRED TO DISPOSE THE OTHER OFSAID PANEL WALLS IN SUPPORTED ENGAGEMENT AND HORIZONTALLY DISPOSED ONTHE LOWER RUNG OF SAID LADDER RUNGS WHEN ENGAGED TO THE UPPER THEREOFAND WHEN THE LADDER HAS ITS RUNGS ANGULARLY DISPOSED FOR USE, MEANSDETACHABLY ENGAGED IN SAID PANEL WALL SLOTS AT THE ENLARGED ENDS THEREOFFOR HOLDING A PAINT CAN TO THE BACK WALL THEREOF, AND MEANS ENGAGED TOSAID PANEL WALLS NEAR THE JUNCTION THEREOF AND LATERALLY EXTENDABLE FORENGAGEMENT WITH THE SIDE RAIL OF A LADDER FOR HOLDING THE PAINT CANSUPPORTING BOTTOM PANEL WALL HORIZONTAL AND FIXED AGAINST THE UPSETTINGMOVEMENT FORCE OF THE WEIGHT OF THE PAINT CAN THEREON.